Belém
Picturesque Belém is home to some of Lisbon's most important monuments, such as the Jerónimos Monastery and the Belém Tower, absolutely unmissable!
Belém is the southwesternmost district of Lisbon. Far from the city center, but easily accessible, this neighborhood is located at the mouth of the River Tagus. Portugal’s various explorers set sail from this part of town to other parts of the world and brought back riches and their many discoveries.
What to See in Belém
Belém houses two incredibly famous landmarks. The first is Jerónimos Monastery (Mosteiro dos Jerónimos) and the second is Belém Tower (Torre de Belém). In addition, travelers will also enjoy exploring the Monument to the Discoveries (Padrão dos Descobrimentos), the 25 de Abril Bridge, and the National Coach Museum.
Another must when visiting Belém is to stop at Pastéis de Belém, which used to be a small shop attached to a sugar cane refinery, to try its pastéis de Belém, a typical and delicious Portuguese egg tart pastry or custard tarts invented in this small shop in 1837.
Getting to Belém
The easiest way to get to Belém from Lisbon’s city center is to take the tram nº 15 at the Cais do Sodré station, in the Praça do Comércio. It's usually packed with people traveling to Belém.
When you get on the tram, be careful of pickpockets. This is a very popular line for professional thieves since it's always full of tourists.
Getting to Belém by Boat
The most interesting way to reach the district that connects Lisbon to the Atlantic is to take a boat from the river station and enjoy the magnificent views of Lisbon along the way:
Transport
Bus: lines 28, 727, 729, 751, and 201.
Nearby places
Belém Tower in Lisbon (245 m) Archaeology Museum (830 m) Monument to the Discoveries in Lisbon (842 m) Jerónimos Monastery (931 m) National Coach Museum (1.4 km)
